Estate Agents In Fareham Hampshire

Cultural Exchange

2009-11-25T04:05:00.000-08:00

More local news from in and around the Hamsphire area from Dibben and Dibben as a Winchester school has broadened its horizons by hosting visitors from across Europe. Henry Beaufort School welcomed teachers and students from Czech Republic, France, Spain and Poland as part of a British Council-funded scheme. The Comenius Project encourages schools to strengthen European links and improve understanding of other cultures.

Visiting students, who lodged with families of Henry Beaufort pupils, spent a week learning about English schooling and touring both Winchester and London.

Head teacher Jonathan de Sausmarez said: "Links with schools across the world are so important as our young people prepare for a globalised world. Henry Beaufort is due to make a reciprocal visit to Spain in February and Poland in June next year.

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Hot Coals

2009-11-24T09:16:00.001-08:00

More local news and events from the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a Hampshire charity that helps care for older people is celebrating after raising £1,800 through a daredevil firewalk. Nine brave fundraisers, braved the hot coals in aid of Winchester based Brendoncare, which runs ten care centres and nursing homes, as well as 70 social clubs across Hampshire.

Fundraising manager Emma Digance said: “This was a great evening and we are so grateful to our nine walkers for their amazing support.

“They had a fantastic time, all putting in at least one repeat performance, and the large crowd watching showed their appreciation with cheers after each walk.”

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Azura

2009-11-23T04:06:00.000-08:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as it has been announced that the ballet star Darcey Bussell will name P&0's newest ship Azura in a ceremony in Southampton next year. Ms Bussell, 40, is the godmother of the £350 million vessel and will star in the naming on April 10.

She is poised to become a familiar figure on TV by becoming a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from next month. More than 1,200 guests have been invited to the ceremony on the top deck of the 115,000 tonne ship just before its maiden voyage around the Mediterranean on April 12.

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said today: "Darcey Bussell epitomises glamour, sophistication and elegance, all qualities we have strived to achieve in Azura."

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Winchester Lights

2009-11-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Winchesr is set for much better Christmas lights, the Council was told. The 2008 display was beset by technical problems from the contractor working for the Winchester Business Improvement District.

This year BID is using the same contractor as the council and illuminating more streets, including St George’s Street, City Road, Station Approach and possibly The Broadway.

Council leader George Beckett said the better display was a success for the BID, which raises a levy for local businesses. Cllr Beckett said it was right that businesses should pay for the lights as they will benefit from the extra trade.

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Christmas Concert

2009-11-17T09:27:00.001-08:00

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the Waynflete Singers open their 40th anniversary season in Winchester Cathedral with a Christmas fanfare conducted Andrew Lumsden. The choir’s 120 voices will be joined by Fine Arts Brass, which has toured more than 60 countries and performed at many UK festivals.

The choir will open with seasonal works by three of the finest 17th century composers – Gabrieli, Praetorius and Schutz. It will include the eight-part setting of In dulci jubilo by Praetorius, followed by Naji Hakim’s Jesu Redemptor Omnium, which was originally commissioned by The Waynflete Singers.

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Turkeys Found

2009-11-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as 7 rare show turkeys stolen from a farm in Hampshire have been found alive on a bridle way in Owslebury. Two Lavender turkeys and five Croellwitzer turkeys were taken from their sheds in Twyford, near Winchester, on 7 November.

Their owner feared the birds, which are bred for showing and not for meat, had been stolen for the Christmas trade. They were discovered on Sunday, 15 November, after being missing for more than a week.

PC Jon Radcliffe said: "This sort of theft is more common at this time of year and I would like to continue to urge farmers and owners to be extra vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us."

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Fund Raising Duck

2009-11-12T02:20:00.001-08:00

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Crispie the feathered fundraiser has already appeared on calendars and Christmas cards sold in aid of charity. She has been raising money for good causes since she was adopted by the manager of an award-winning hotel in the Hampshire countryside.

Now the two-year-old Aylesbury duck is poised to help some of Hampshire’s youngest cancer patients.

Liz Cottingham, owner of The Mill at Gordleton, has now published a children’s storybook about Crispie, who lives with Terri Seabright and her husband Mike at their Holbury home. The book is on sale shortlyl. It will also be available at the Yuletide in Lymington event on December 9.

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Late Shopping

2009-11-10T10:21:00.001-08:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as late night shopping will start this week in a north Hampshire village for the run-up to Christmas. From now until Christmas, a total of nine retailers in Hartley Wintney plan to keep their doors open every Thursday until 7.30pm.

The plan follows a six-week trial in the village in May and June this year. Parish council events manager Peter Fountain was quoted as say “Really, this is for the High Street. It is to boost village life, boost trade and get people to return to village shopping.Village events like markets attract a lot of people but they tend not to spend a huge amount of money in the shops. This will hopefully attract workers who are coming home.”

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Kids Garden

2009-11-09T05:25:00.000-08:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham officially opened a new vegetable garden, transformed by a group of students out of a patch of disused land. The project started life in a geography lesson in which students were studying land use in their local environment.

A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund's Young Roots programme of £23,000 meant the dream could become a reality. The opening was the conclusion of 18 months of hard preparation work.

Having come up with the idea, working outside school hours, the young people quickly enlisted the support of a number of partners for the project; notably The Minstead Training and Study Centres, Totton & Eling Historical Society and Sunnyfields Organic Farm.

The project also involved researching the history of the site and the heritage of Hounsdown village as well as traditional methods of growing fruit and vegetables. They also learnt how to use traditional tools and to maintain traditional methods such as hurdling and pot throwing.

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Carnival

2009-11-06T04:32:00.000-08:00

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the weekend sees the Sandown Carnival. Sandown Carnival & Celebrations includes a magical parade featuring, lanterns, costumes, floats and bands parading through the town's streets, all lit with thousands of colourful lights.

Entertainment starts at 1800 when local band 14 Inch Remotes play on the Esplanade. The parade assembles at Grafton St, and moves off at 1830 accompanied by samba music. Also, catch the Fire Show on the beach opposite The Carlton Hotel with Ryde Extreme Performers.

The parade finishes at the pier with music and food and culminates in a spectacular firework finale from the pier at 2000.

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Rose Bowl Revamp

2009-11-05T03:05:00.000-08:00

More local news and events from around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as work has begun on a £48m revamp of Hampshire's Rose Bowl cricket ground, which would make it the second largest Test ground in the country. The wide-ranging improvements include new stands and enhanced access as well as a 175-bedroom hotel.

The ground's capacity will rise to 25,000, making it the largest Test ground in the country after Lords. The first stage of the project will see the construction of two new stands, either side of the existing pavilion.

The stands are due for completion in time for the start of the 2010 cricket season in April and will provide covered seating for a further 4,800 spectators.

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Charity Run

2009-11-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a local Hampshire man is taking on an iron man style challenge attempting to run 10km every day for ten weeks. Lee Wilson is running to raise £5,000 for Cancer Research UK in memory of his aunt, Diane Wegg, who died from the disease two years ago.

The 37-year-old will complete the 437-mile challenge while still going to work each day, taking on the challenge either before or after the day job. The distance is the equivalent of running from the centre of Edinburgh to central Southampton.

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Award For Former Coastguard

2009-11-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

More local news from the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as a recently retired winchman from the Solent Coastguard has been made a Member of the British Empire. Terry Short retired from helicopter search and rescue earlier this year at the age of 65 and was given the award for his public and voluntary service.

He has spent 21 years with the Leeo n - t h e - S o l e n t Coastguard after moving from Shetland where he performed similar duties.

The coastguard’s UK helicopter search and rescue manager Ian McLuskie said: “Terry was a stalwart figure in search and rescue work and a terrific example to others in the profession over his many years of service. This recognition is extremely well deserved.”

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Rise In Mortgage Approvals

2009-10-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as mortgage approvals rose to the highest level since March 2008 in September, according to the Bank of England. The number of mortgages approved for house purchase, but not yet lent, rose 3,000 during the month to 56,000.

Mortgage approvals are a good indicator of short term trends in the property market, and have risen this year in line with recovery in completed sales.

"Lending activity has recovered in recent months, when compared to the start of the year, as buyers and sellers tentatively return to the market," said Adrian Coles, of the Building Societies Association (BSA).

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DJ Degree

2009-10-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire areas from Dibben and Dibben as Radio 1 star Scott Mills has already won a place in the hearts of millions of listeners, written a musical about his own life, and even become best of friends with the Hoff.

Now, the DJ, who grew up in Eastleigh, is following in the footsteps of Craig David, Shane Warne, Fiona Phillips and Charlie Dimmock by picking up an honorary degree from Southampton Solent University.

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Charity Grant

2009-10-29T10:16:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as researchers from Southampton have been given a $100,000 (£61,000) grant from Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates to develop lifesaving vaccines. The funding has been given to the University of Southampton to design inoculations to defend against bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis.

The money is one of 76 grants worldwide from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The researchers will work alongside universities in Liverpool and Bristol.

The team, led by microbiologist Dr Jeremy Webb, aims to create vaccines to stop bacteria ganging together and forming a defence layer - or biofilm - against antibiotics and the body's immune system.

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House Price Rise

2009-10-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as House prices in England and Wales rose by 0.9% in September compared with August and sales also picked up over the summer, the Land Registry has said. The average home in England and Wales cost £158,377, the figures showed.

This was 5.6% cheaper than the same month a year earlier, but September was the fifth consecutive month when the year-on-year price fall has slowed. Sales were higher in July compared with July 2008, after months of lower year-on-year sales figures, it said.

Completed sales have risen steadily each month since January 2009 when they stood at 26,662.

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Local Bookworms

2009-10-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

More locals news and events from the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as bookworms from an Alresford school got the chance to meet the winning author of the Hampshire Book Award. Five students from Perins School met up with Craig Simpson who took part in a question and answer session and gave a talk about his book 'Dogfight'.

Linda Sheppard, library manager at Perins, said: "It's really good that the students have had the chance to meet Craig Simpson. They enjoyed being involved in the Hampshire Book Award and meeting the author they voted for seems a fitting reward for their hard work."

Last summer they voted his book as the best for enjoyment, engagement and enrichment out of a short list of six books. The Hampshire Book Award is organised annually by the School Library Service.

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Art Contest Winner

2009-10-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the winner of an Alresford painting competition has been awarded her prize. Jane Swan has scooped the Eel House Painting competition and David Woods, who heads the building’s restoration team, attended the October meeting of the Alresford Art Society to announce the winner.

Art Society members were invited to paint the building in any medium and eight paintings in went on display in the Old Fire Station and at the Eel House over the Heritage Open days last month. The public was invited to vote on their favourite and Jane came first with her watercolour. A total of 273 visitors casting their votes.

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Titanic Service

2009-10-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

More local news from the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the ashes of a woman who became the last survivor of the Titanic have been scattered following a memorial service. Millvina Dean was nine weeks old when the liner sank after hitting an iceberg in the Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton on 15 April 1912.

Miss Dean died in a care home in Hampshire on 31 May at the age of 97. Miss Dean's ashes were scattered from a small launch on the water of berth 43/44 at Southampton Docks, the terminal from which the ship set sail.

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Mortgage Approvals Rising

2009-10-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as the number of new mortgages approved by the main UK banks for house purchase is still rising, according to the British Bankers' Association (BBA). Banks, which currently account for most new mortgages, approved 42,100 home loans for house buyers in September, up from 40,100 in August.

Bank mortgage approvals are now 77% higher than a year ago. The BBA said approvals had now been "rising steadily" for the past eight months. It added that the number of new loans for house purchase was back to the level last seen at the end of 2007.

"Mortgage lending by the High Street banks is continuing to improve from the lows seen earlier this year and the number of house purchase approvals continues to recover," said the BBA's statistics director, David Dooks.

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Great South Run 2009

2009-10-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a record entry of 21,000 are going through their paces in the final run-up to this year's Great South Run. The event is Britain's biggest 10 mile (16 kilometre) road race and attracts elite athletes alongside celebrities, sports stars and thousands of club runners and fundraisers.

Millions of pounds are raised for good causes each year.The race has been held in Portsmouth since 1992 and the route passes many of the city's most famous landmarks.

The run takes place this weekend.

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Homes Sales Rise

2009-10-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as property sales in the UK picked up over the summer, according to figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Sales rose from 80,000 in August to 82,000 in September. More significantly, sales in the third quarter of the year, covering July to September, were 11% higher than in the previous three months.

The figures on property sales from the Revenue chime with those published this week by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). They showed that total mortgage lending in the third quarter, including lending to people who were simply changing their mortgage deals but not moving, was 18% higher than in the previous three months.

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Dee Degree

2009-10-22T09:48:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the comedian Jack Dee has received an honorary degree in a ceremony at Winchester Cathedral. The 47-year-old comic, who grew up in the city, accepted the accolade from the University of Winchester.

The degree was in recognition of his outstanding contribution to comedy, drama and the performing arts. Veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost, who lives near Romsey, also collected an honorary doctorate at the ceremony on Wednesday.

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Matchstick Oil Rig

2009-10-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a man who spent 15 years making a model oil rig out of four million matches has broken the world record. David Reynolds, from Swaythling in Southampton, created a replica of the Brent Bravo oil rig in the North Sea, where he used to work.

Guinness World Records confirmed the model, the Cathedrals of the Sea, has broken the record with 4.075m matches, beating the previous record of 3.5m. The model is on display at Bursledon Industrial Brickworks Museum, Swanwick.

Mr Reynolds, who made the model in his spare time, said he was going to destroy it earlier this year because he had no where to put it.

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Jane Austin Quilt

2009-10-20T08:15:00.001-07:00

More local news and events from around the Hampshire aread from Dibben and Dibben as a rare patchwork coverlet thought to have been worked by Jane Austen has gone on display in Winchester Discovery Centre. The major new exhibition ‘Quilty Secrets’ shows patchwork and quilting, historical and contemporary, from Hampshire County Councils Museum Service and private collections.

This is the first time in its 200-year history that the ‘Jane Austen Quilt’ has ever left the Jane Austen’s House Museum at Chawton. The ‘Jane Austen Quilt’ is properly described as a patchwork coverlet, as it is not lined or quilted. It is made of printed cottons and chintzes pieced together in a colourful pattern of diamonds.

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Replica Palace of Versailles

2009-10-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a man has recreated the Palace of Versailles inside his Hampshire council flat after spending two decades handcrafting elaborate wooden designs. The 59 year-old has spent 23 years recreating the palace by covering the walls and ceilings of his ninth floor, two bedroom, flat in his anonymous 1960's concrete tower block.

Despite spending hundreds of hours painstakingly working his magic on wardrobes, chairs and off cuts of wood rescued from skips, recreating his Southampton home it has not cost him much money. Some of the tables are made from discarded wooden salad bowls while detailing on the fireplace was created using the brass prongs from plugs. He did buy several of the pieces, however.

Now the grandiose design resembles the famous French Palace of Versailles which was built on the outskirts of Paris for Louis XV.

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Sailors Go Cycling

2009-10-19T06:46:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as local girls Cath Vise and Karen Fraser from Cowes and Southampton, who sailed around Britain with the Ellen MacArthur Trust as skipper and mate, are now embarking on a new challenge to raise more funds for the Trust. Having recently spent four months sailing around Britain with the Ellen MacArthur Trust you might have expected sailors Cath Vise and Karen Fraser to take the opportunity for a well earned rest.

Instead they have taken on a new challenge, cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats via the three peaks of Snowdon, Scafell Pike, and Ben Nevis, and climbing each one on route. By the time they have finished the challenge on 7 November Cath and Karen will have sailed around Britain, cycled the length of Britain, and climbed Britain’s highest peaks, all within six months.

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Emergency Services Rescue Foal

2009-10-19T06:43:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to rescue a foal stuck in a muddy river bank last week. Animal Rescue Specialist, Watch Manager Jim Green was alerted to attend the incident at Bridge Street, Titchfield, with supporting crews from Fareham and Havant fire stations.

The six month old filly, which weighed approximately 200kg, was stuck in the mud on the side of the river bank. The animal was in distress and not used to human contact or wearing a headcollar. Therefore, in the interest of the safety of the crew and the foal's own welfare a vet from Animed Veterinary Practice was requested to attend and sedate the foal before the rescue commenced.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has a team of four Animal Rescue Specialists. The dedicated team are leading the way in animal rescue work in the UK, with other fire and rescue service's learning from their example. Their role is not solely responding to incidents, they are also heavily involved in education and the development of new rescue techniques, as well as promoting animal welfare.

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The Big Draw

2009-10-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Various venues are holding Big Draw events this weekend - part of the month-long campaign to encourage all ages and abilities to paint or draw.

Artist Heather Butler we will be exploring Andover Museum and taking inspiration from the pottery on display. At the Allen Gallery in Alton local artist Jo Carter is exploring themes associated with Charles Darwin and drawing animals.

And find out how to doodle and draw cartoons at Winchester Discovery Centre.

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School Holds Halloween Workshop

2009-10-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the annual Halloween makeover is being held on Saturday 31st October at Northern Junior Community School, to get the kids dressed and ready for the long night ahead. This fantastic workshop will look at the use of natural materials, with the added benefit of this year's event being on Halloween itself.

The children can have face painting makeovers and breeze away on a magical hand decorated broomstick, carve a crazy pumpkin or get creative making a host of crafts and accessories for that special night.

Executive Member for Community, Councillor Connie Hockley, said: "This annual event is great for the all the children to get ready so they can celebrate Halloween whilst having fun and getting involved with array of activities."

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Jumping For Charity

2009-10-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as a brave volunteer from Winchester’s Citizens Advice (CAB) raised more than £3,000 for the bureau by jumping out of a plane. Ann Burr, who has been with the charity for the last 12 years, completed a daring skydive near Salisbury earlier this month (October).

She joined around 50 other volunteers from the organisation, who were undertaking the challenge to mark Citizens Advice’s 70th anniversary. She was quoted as saying “my one regret is that technology allowing paragliding and skydiving wasn’t around 30 years ago when I was young enough to really take it up.”

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Bats Could Halt Expressway

2009-10-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the construction of a £20m high-speed bus service in Hampshire could be halted if a High Court action is successful. A judicial review has started into plans by Hampshire County Council to build a Fareham to Gosport expressway.

The case has been brought by a resident who says the scheme to convert the disused railway is legally flawed. The court was told a small colony of bats living in a house close to the site crosses the railway line to reach a feeding area in a nearby wood. Damaging a bat colony is an offence under European law and the court must decide whether an assessment is necessary before work can continue.

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Hampshire Leads The Way

2009-10-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as the September RICS house price balance recorded the highest figure since the onset of the credit crunch, according to the RICS UK housing market survey. The south east of England is leading the upturn in prices with the net balance of surveyors reporting rises rather than falls climbing to 52 per cent from 37 per cent in August.

This increase is underpinned by a lack of supply in the market and contrasts noticeably with the national figure of only 21.5 per cent – showing that counties like Hampshire are driving the revival.

RICS south east director Peter Miller said: 'A lack of supply is still underpinning the rise in house prices with new instructions to estate agents only edging up very gradually.

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Hampshire Kids Learn Cooking Skills

2009-10-14T04:12:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as school children in Hampshire are learning how to cook healthy dishes as part of an after-school scheme. Pupils at Marnel, Merton and Chineham Park primary schools in Popley are using the Cook and Eat programme to learn basic cookery skills and improve their diets.

Taught in a fun and informal environment, the six-week programme is delivered in each school by the school cook, usually from Hampshire County Council’s catering service HC3S, with a member of the school teaching staff.

Dishes whipped up by the youngsters include home-made bolognese, healthy pizzas and vegetarian curries, as well as low fat versions of family favourites.

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In Their Stride

2009-10-12T02:52:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as pupils and parents put their best feet forward as part of a walking initiative at a Hampshire school. Botley Primary School has introduced a new “Park and Stride” route to encourage parents to ditch cars in favour of walking with their children.

Now parents who live too far from school to walk the whole journey can park at the Botley Centre at the recreation ground and stroll the remainder.

The two-metre-wide Park and Stride path has been funded by the council’s Local Area Committee and Hampshire County Council’s safer routes to school programme.

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It Just Got Better

2009-10-12T02:46:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a Hampshire university was celebrating after being named the 95th best education facility in the world. The University of Southampton has moved up four places from its previous ranking of 99th in new league tables.

The new world ranking is yet another set of good results for the university, which was named the best in the UK for engineering in a separate league table earlier this year.

A spokesman for the University of Southampton, said: “Our position among the best of the world’s universities provides further evidence of the impact of our research and education, and the quality of our staff and students.”

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Royal Visit

2009-10-09T03:57:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire areas from Dibben and Dibben as The Princess Royal will be in Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham to meet and dine with employees and leaders at six local establishments. She will be at HMS Victory in Portsmouth Naval Base on the evening of October 21 where she will join a Trafalgar Night dinner in keeping with tradition, and in her role as Commodore in Chief.

She will make the most of her time on the south coast, with five other official visits before and after the formal civil engagement. She will also officially open new facilities at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory on Portsdown Hill Road, Fareham and she will meet patients and staff at the official opening of the new Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham.

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Memorial Gardens Win Top Award

2009-10-09T03:55:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a garden of remembrance has won top honours for the seventh year running in a horticultural competition.
The Portchester Memorial Gardens were awarded a gold medal at the annual Fareham in Bloom competition, as well as taking the title of best overall business premises.

The award follows a national honour where the gardens scooped the title for Best Garden of Remembrance at the 12th annual Cemetery of the Year Awards.

The six-acre garden, next to Portchester Crematorium, is privately-owned and independently operated and staff there work with individuals, families and funeral directors to offer a service for people who want to remember their loved ones there.

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Autumn Pumpkin Festival

2009-10-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

More local events from the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as this weekend see the Autumn Pumpkin Festival in support of the Jubilee Sailing Trust at Royal Victoria Country Park
Netley, Southampton.

The international chef and fruit artist David Loh is set to carve the biggest Pumpkin he has ever attempted at the festival. It's a whopping 1000lb and will take 3 days to carve culminating in a live performance at the Festival.

The Festival Activies include

* Pumpkin produce to sample and buy
* Big Draw art workshops
* Apple tastings, pumpkin wine tasting and beer tasting from Fullers - Honey Dew Beer
* Delicious food - including pumpkin soup and ‘Prince Consort pumpkin curry’
* Competitions, with prizes for junior and novice growers, for the heaviest pumpkin and the best pumpkin decoration
* Bring along a scarecrow for our Avenue of Scarecrows
* Storytelling, Knickerbocker Glory Appalachian Dancing and Irish Dancing and lots more!
* Live music from members of Hickory Junction
* Hive of Activity Marquee - all things bees, honey and beekeeping

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Hampshire Woman Gets Top Award

2009-10-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as an Andover childminder has been named Childmin-der of the Year 2009 in a glittering ceremony hosted by early years publication Nursery World. Joyce Heard was nominated after being on the Hampshire Children Come First Network for her outstanding work as a childminder.

Joyce is now retiring having been a registered childminder for nearly 40 years. In that time she has devoted herself fully to caring for children and supporting their families. Her innovative ideas and approaches to enhancing children’s learning have been an inspiration to others.

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Signs Of House Price Rises

2009-10-07T03:50:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as UK house prices rose for the third consecutive month in September and showed the first quarterly increase for two years, according to the Halifax. The average home rose in value by 1.6% in September compared with the previous month, to £163,533.

And prices in the three months to September increased by 2.8% compared with the previous quarter.

The Halifax, now part of Lloyds Banking Group, said that increased demand and a lack of supply were key to the rise.

However, both could change and "constrain" prices in the coming months given the economic climate, said Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis.

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Aliens In Winchester

2009-10-07T03:47:00.001-07:00

More quirky news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben Winchester councillor Adrian Hicks is on the search for an alien dressed like a ballerina that he spotted five years ago. as Visible only to the chosen few, the pretty blonde female UFO interloper is said to shuffle along the pavement in a penguin-like walk, wearing only a white ballet outfit and broad smile.

She had very large oval eyes and was twirling her hands in a circular motion. She was laughing and seemed to be enjoying herself. She was human enough to get away with it,' he added.

And the intrigue doesn't end there. Mr Hicks, who has spent £400 perfecting an artist's impression of the alien, believes she is linked to covert US and British military operations at a nearby base.

'UFOs are flying in and out of the military base – Winchester is the UFO capital of Europe,' he added.

Hmmmmm

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Bar Spook

2009-10-05T03:44:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a pub landlady is calling in an exorcist to get read of a ghost which she claims is topping up regulars' pints.Janice McCormack says the spirit is costing her a fortune as it tops up beers. Mrs McCormack, 60, said: 'I know it sounds very strange. But it happens when customers pop to the toilet or put their pint down for a second or two, and when they turn around there is an extra inch of beer.'

She has nicknamed the ghost 'Reedy' after legendary actor and drinker Oliver Reed and said he has been haunting the Apsley House in Southsea, Hampshire, after she took over the lease ten years ago. Since January the generous ghoul has been mysteriously re-fuelling regulars' glasses.

Mrs McCormack, who runs the pub with husband Patrick, said: 'My regulars love it but it is costing me because people are drinking less.

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Pint Pulling Vicar

2009-10-05T03:39:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as local customers at a Hampshire pub will have their pints pulled by an unlikely bartender over the next few days. The Reverend Gary Keith, of All Saints Church in North Warnborough, has come to the aid of a pub landlady after she won a cruise in a church raffle.

Jo Fairhurst, who runs the pub, nearly gave up the prize because there was no one to run the pub while she was away. Mr Keith said working behind the bar would help him build relationships in the community.

He said: "The role of the parish priest is to serve the community and I'm always looking for new, innovative ways of doing that.

"The whole business of Christian ministry is about building relationships and one way of doing that is to get out in the community and talk to people. This is providing a great way to do that."

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Sailing Fund Raising

2009-10-02T04:12:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as Cruising and racing yachtsmen and their crews from the Royal Southampton Yacht Club are planning to sail across the Solent this weekend for supper in Yarmouth . . . and anticipate raising at least £1,500 for the RNLI along the way.

The race-cum-rally on Saturday starts in the central Solent and is expected to take three hours. Destination is the Royal Solent Yacht Club at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. There will be two handicap classes.

Sailing secretary for the Royal Southampton, Cathy Crawley said: 'The race/rally is open to RSYC members and their guests only and three quarters of the entry fee are donated to the RNLI. For those making their own way to Yarmouth, member Brian Hinde has devised a quiz to while away the journey.

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House Prices Back To 2008

2009-10-02T04:05:00.000-07:00

More UK Property News from Dibben and Dibben as UK house prices have now recovered to the same level as a year ago, according to the latest Nationwide figures. The average price of a home last month rose by 0.9% to £161,816, almost identical to September 2008. The building society said house prices had now risen for the fifth month in a row.

However, the nation's homeowners continued to pay off more of their mortgages between April and June, according to the Bank of England.

A further £7bn was added to people's equity in the country's housing stock, as homeowners accelerated the repayment of their home loans, or put down bigger deposits when taking out a new mortgage.

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Operatic Society seeks New Members

2009-10-01T03:29:00.000-07:00

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben Winchester Operatic Society is holding an open rehearsal for any new members that might want to join the group. They are looking for extra singers, along with people to run the backstage operation and even trainee directors.

The society tackles a range of works, with several performances to choose from each year ranging from stage musicals to opera.

Its next project will be a double bill of two one-act pieces, Cavalleria Rusticana and Trial by Jury. Performances are due to take place at the Theatre Royal in Winchester from Tuesday, November 10 to Saturday, November 14.

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Churches Saved By Singing

2009-10-01T03:22:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as historic Hampshire churches are throwing open their doors to join in with a unique public singing event. St Mary's church in Ashley and Holy Trinity church in Privett are both at risk of closure, and are cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.

They are taking part in Birthday Song, an event which will see 40 choirs performing in 40 of the most nationally significant historic churches. This is to celebrate the Churches Conservation Trust 40th birthday. The weekend of singing takes place on 3 and 4 October 2009 and aims to also provide local people with an opportunity to rediscover these magnificent buildings and the stories behind them.

The Churches Conservation Trust is the national charity protecting England's historic churches which are no longer needed for regular worship. They care for over 300 churches - nine in Hampshire. Their aim is to bring them back into the heart of community life, ensuring their future survival by opening them.

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Megatrain Takes On The Greyhound Coach

2009-09-29T02:27:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire areas from Dibben and Dibben as Stagecoach has responded to the launch of FirstGroup's Greyhound express coach service between London and Southampton/Portsmouth by doubling the number of low cost Megatrain.com seats that it has available on its competing South West Trains services.

Stagecoach's Megatrain offers budget travel on parts of the South West Trains, East Midlands Trains and Virgin Trains networks. Travellers can use Megatrain to book tickets on selected SWT services between London and Southampton/Portsmouth

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New Sculpture For Southampton

2009-09-29T02:24:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a giant aircraft sculpture may be erected in waters off Southampton's Town Quay. Consultants suggested moving the 160-tonne model of a Spitfire from its intended location on the quay because of doubts over the quays ability to handle such a load.

The stainless steel sculpture, which will be around 60 metres tall and have a wingspan of 34 metres, has been designed by artist Ken Potts. Alternative waterfront sites on land are still being sought, however, because of the high cost of building suitable underwater foundations.

The Spitfire Tribute Foundation hopes to unveil the Spitfire Tribute sculpture during March 2011 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire from Southampton.

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Property Asking Prices Rise In September

2009-09-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

More news about the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as Latest report published by the British property company – Rightmove – suggests that British property asking prices increased as a result of improved market confidence of home sellers and decreased supply of marketed properties.

According to a report published earlier, an average asking price of a traditional British home rose by 0.6% to a level of £223,996, which figure compares to a 2.2% fall registered in August this year. It should be noted, however, that rises of asking prices were mainly seen in London, East Anglia and the southwest of the UK, while the rest of Wales and England saw slight decreases in asking prices.

The report as showed that asking prices for UK property increased by 0.9% in London, by 1.5% in the southwest, and by 8.4% in East Anglia, while an average decline was noticed in Yorkshire and Humberside with an average house price falling by 3.6%.

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Havant Literary Festival

2009-09-28T03:50:00.001-07:00

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the Havant Literary Festival takes place between 25 September and 4 October 2009. Havant Literary Festival celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with a superb programme of events dedicated to his life and work, including talks and an exhibition on loan from Portsmouth City Museum.

The ten days of the Festival will offer all the usual Festival fare –theatre, signings, children’s events, poetry, talks, street entertainment, art, school’s activities, exhibitions, workshops, walks, film, music, readings, a Book Fair, a Ghost Walk and a debate: ‘This House Believes the Book is Dead’!

The objective of Havant Literary Festival is to establish a celebration for the written and spoken word in the Borough of Havant.

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Scarecrow Festival

2009-09-25T03:45:00.000-07:00

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a full size scarecrow of children’s favourite the younf wizard Harry Potter complete with his own flying broomstick is hovering in a sleepy Hampshire village. The straw-stuffed character is among 24 standing guard in front gardens, sitting on shed roofs and perched up ladders for a scarecrow festival in Micheldever.

Other corny characters include three Michael Jacksons, Biggles, a vicar with a “not bothered” teenager, fiddler on the roof, Wee Willie Winkie and a clown. This years festival hopes to build on the great succcess of last years. The scarecrow festival is now a feature of many small Hampshire towns and run from mid summer to autumn.

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Sensory Garden Opened

2009-09-25T03:11:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Inspirational Woman of the Year Sylvie Silver was guest of honour at the opening of a sensory garden at Sanctuary Care’s Ashley House care home in Bordon, Hampshire. Earlier this week Sylvie, Director of the National Association of Providers of Activities for Older People (NAPA), a voluntary organisation committed to increasing the profile and understanding of the activity needs of older people, officially opened the Breath of Fresh Air garden.

The garden has been specially designed for residents with dementia. There is a galvanised porch roof with fibre optic stars so they can sit and listen to the rain, a stunning waterfall with lights so that it can be enjoyed by people inside the home and a traditional telephone box and bus stop to encourage reminiscence.

The garden was named after NAPA’s Breath of Fresh Air competition, which encourages homes to think of creative ways to bring fresh air to residents

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Local School May Get 6th Form

2009-09-24T03:25:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Southampton area from Dibben and Dibben as a bid to add a £6m sixth form to a Southampton school was set to get the green light from council chiefs. If approved, it would make Bitterne Park Secondary the first mixed-sex state school in the city offering education from the age of 11 through to 18. With funding for the new building already secured from the Government, the 180-place centre could be offering specialist performing arts courses as soon as September 2011.

The city currently has two dedicated academic sixth-form colleges – Taunton’s and Itchen – while Southampton City College also offers vocational courses and apprenticeships. Bitterne Park is now entitled to bid for post-16 provision because it is a higher-performing specialist school.

Head teacher Susan Trigger believes the new centre represents a major opportunity for education in Southampton, because it would broaden the range available.

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Army Hero Saves Girl

2009-09-24T03:21:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as An Army officer about to deploy to Afghanistan was hailed ''a hero'' and ''an angel'' for saving the life of a Hampshire girl involved in a serious car crash. Captain Dominic Masters had only just completed a military first aid course when he witnessed a Renault Clio swerve and overturn into a ditch on the A303, outside Amesbury, Wiltshire.

Capt Masters immediately put his recently-learned battlefield casualty procedures into practice and stabilised her before the paramedics arrived.

The soldier then stayed inside the car, giving Megan oxygen, while the fire brigade cut her free. Megan was then flown by helicopter to Salisbury District Hospital and then on to Southampton.

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Mortgage Approval Increase

2009-09-22T03:23:00.000-07:00

More news from the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as mortgage approvals have rose to an 18-month high as the UK housing market springs back to life. Data from the British Bankers Association (BAA) show 42,000 loans were taken out last month. The encouraging numbers fuel hope that banks are finally moving back to borrowing and that the fall in house prices are over.

Howard Archer, Chief Economist at forecasters IHS Global Insight, said: "Buyer interest has been lifted by the fall in house prices and reduced mortgage interest rates. This is gradually but steadily feeding through to lift housing market activity."

Until now first-time buyers have been frozen out of the market because banks demanded huge deposits and charged through the roof for home loans. And millions of people were refused mortgages because of minor blips in their credit history.

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Southampton Film Week

2009-09-22T03:19:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth are celebrating the "big screen" with a series of very special events and film showings from the start of October 2009. Southampton Film Week is co-ordinated by community filmmaking resource City Eye and celebrates the city's diverse film culture with events across the city.

This year's festival line up includes special screenings, workshops, masterclasses, guest speakers and a massive film quiz. All kinds of genres are being featured including comedy, drama, documentaries including several locally-produced films and some popular blockbusters shown as part of a "drive-in" movie weekend.

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Mary Rose Closure

2009-09-21T03:49:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as this weekend see the last chance to visit Henry VIII's warship the Mary Rose, before the exhibition closes while a new museum is built. The ship will away from public view for three years until the new museum, housing the vessel and its artefacts, opens at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £21m to the Mary Rose Trust, which itself raised nearly £10m towards the project. The new museum is being built alongside Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. It will contain galleries running the length of the vessel to imitate the missing port side.

The trust aims to complete the work by 2012, in time for the Olympics. The ship will continue to be sprayed with preserving polyethylene glycol, a water-based wax solution, before being carefully dried.

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Surveyors Report Price Rise

2009-09-21T03:44:00.000-07:00

More news about the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as more surveyors said UK house prices were rising in the three months to September than those reporting falling property values. The proportion turned positive for the first time for two years, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' (Rics) survey found. The change was driven by price rises in the South East of England and shortages of homes for sale. The government's own figures showed a 1.4% rise in prices from June to July.

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) said that first-time buyers had returned to the market, followed by home movers. Families wishing to upgrade or young couples needing a bigger house to raise a family were active in the market again, according to NAEA president Gary Smith.

Sales were highest per surveyor in the East Midlands and West Midlands, with the lowest number of sales per surveyor reported in London.

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Boat Show Success

2009-09-19T04:50:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the 41st Southampton boat show continues this weekend with businesses from across the South vying for trade in the last two days of the event, which is the largest of its kind in Europe. By the end of the week, it is expected at least 130,000 people will have been on site to see the 1,000 boats on display and to buy anything from sailing clothes to an £11 million super-yacht.

With ticket sales approximately 23% ahead of last year the organisers think that that this year's Southampton Boat Show may mark the beginning of the much-needed upturn for the industry.

Both large and small exhibitors at the show are demonstrating their increasing confidence by launching 65 new products this year, which is a significant increase on recent years.

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Charity Boost

2009-09-19T04:37:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as the Hampshire based sailing charity the Jubilee Sailing Trust is celebrating after being given a £20,000 cash boost. Members of the Freemasons sailed into the PSP Southampton boat Show to present the Woolston-based charity with the cheque.

The money will be put towards a £275,000 refit of the trust’s 140ft tallship Lord Nelson, one of the stars of this year’s boat show.

Brian Bellinger, Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasonry, said: “One area of support is for vulnerable people and so we are pleased to make this grant of £20,000 to the Jubilee Sailing Trust to contribute towards the refit of the Lord Nelson and to assist the trust in its outstanding work which reflects and supports our nation’s maritime heritage.”

The donation from the Freemasons will contribute towards replacing decking, main generators and lifts and refitting the accommodation.

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More Details On Waterfront Development

2009-09-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a £325M project to turn Southampton’s waterfront into a world class “marine area” with a huge promenade has been announced. Developers yesterday revealed detailed plans for a development that would reshape and dramatically increase the size of theexisting Royal Pier district.

The latest scheme would see the derelict pier demolished – at a cost of £3m – and in its place a new promenade would stretch from Mayflower Park across the water to Town Quay. Taking inspiration from Sydney and Cape Town, the site would become a circular basin with sweeping views of Southampton Water.

The latest ideas were put forward by Scottish developers Kilmartin, who are one year into an 18-month exclusivity agreement with the council.

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Seal Spotted Off Southampton

2009-09-17T03:35:00.000-07:00

More local news from and around the Southampton area from Dibben and Dibben as passers by and dog walkers have been met by a great surprise visitor at a Hampshire beauty spot. Playing in the Solent close by Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, a grey seal has been keeping crowds entertained by swimming near the shoreline. The seal is believed to be the same one that has been spotted along the south coast.

Researchers this summer used mobile phone technology to track the Solent’s seal colony.

The five seals travelled to different parts of the coastline, with one going on a three-day trip to Worthing in Sussex and another regularly visiting Southampton docks, the River Hamble and Calshot.

An RSPCA spokeswoman advised people to keep their distance.

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Christmas Market and Ice Rink

2009-09-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Winchester council execs are set to put their support behindsthe city’s newest tradition – the Christmas market and ice rink. Since 2006 the joint attraction has lured thousands of people and shoppers to the city over the festive period.

This year the market in the Inner Close is extending to 24 days and is expected to attract around 400,000 people. In 2008, 40,000 people skated and an estimated 250,000 people passed through the 17-day market. Hits on the tourism website rose by 185 per cent in December 2008 from 2006 as the market and ice rink becomes better known.

City council leader George Beckett is also proposing to give a grant of £7,500 to the cathedral to help with the event. The grant is part of a £300,000 package the council agreed in April to help the economy in the recession.

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Hampshire Greyhounds

2009-09-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Greyhound buses - a popular way of travelling very cheaply in the United States - have started running in the UK. Transport firm FirstGroup purchased the Greyhound bus company just over two years ago and its first services from London to Portsmouth and Southampton started earlier this week.

Rivals Megabus, National Express and South West Trains have cut their prices after Greyhound announced £1 fares. The 41-seat coaches run hourly and have leather seats, wi-fi, air conditioning and complimentary newspapers.

FirstGroup bought US-based yellow school bus firm Laidlaw, which included the Greyhound cross-country coach company, for £1.9bn in 2007. The non-stop journeys from London Victoria to the Hampshire cities take just under two hours.

The company has said it hoped to add further destinations to it routes over the next year.

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Bestival A Massive Success

2009-09-14T04:15:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as a record 40,000 festival go'ers came to Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight for the 2009 space-themed extravaganza. Many of the party people where dressed as asteroids, satellites, Martians and space cadets, they partied to the sounds of Lily Allen, Kraftwerk and Massive Attack.

Since it began in 2004, Bestival has grown into one of the most popular, most eccentric events in the music calendar.Held in a holiday adventure park, its attendance has risen from around 6,000 in its first year to 40,000 this weekend.

It has grown into Glastonbury's upstart brother, with a similar quest for an eclectic line-up, shameless party spirit and unusual range of attractions.

The country park, near Newport, became a sea of colour, for the three-day event – now in its sixth year and this year the festival was blessed with blazing sunshine and not a drop of rain, in stark contrast to last year’s festival season closer which became a mudbath after being plagued by torrential rain.

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Hampshire Church Facelift Wins Prize

2009-09-14T04:01:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a group of local villagers who have transformed their local church into a much valued community centre have won a £10,000 prize. Parishioners from St Andrew's in South Warnborough, Hampshire, turned the 12th Century church from a little under used building into a welcoming venue.

The group beat over 120 other entrants to receive the Village Church for Village Life award at a London ceremony attended by the Duchess of Cornwall. The group took the opportunity to ask Camillia to pay a visit to the centre. Project co-ordinator Graham Roberts, a director of a development company, said: "We've all invited her to come and see us - it's a warm welcome from all 550 of us involved with St Andrew's.

The award scheme is run by the magazine Country Life, and judged by a panel headed by Sir Roy Strong, former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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Sophie Ellis-Bextor Opens The Southampton Boat Show

2009-09-11T02:43:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the 2009 PSP Southampton Boat Show will be opened by Sophie Ellis-Bextor on Friday 11 September. The glamorous singer will officially kick off the 10-day marine extravaganza featuring the best of boating, watersports and lifestyle.

Sophie will sail into Mayflower Park aboard the dazzling new Princess 78motor yacht, which will receive her global debut at the Show, to greet assembled photographers for a photo call on the marina at 10:00 hrs.

At 11:00 hrs Sophie will host the Show’s official opening on the Record Breaker Stage. She will pose for photographs and chat to the Show compere before cutting the ribbon and declaring the 2009 PSP Southampton Boat Show open.

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Bestival

2009-09-11T02:39:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as 1000's of revellers are heading to the Isle of Wight to attend the last of the summer's major UK music festivals. Kraftwerk, Elbow and Massive Attack are three of the actswho are headlining Bestival in Robin Hill Country Park, ending on Monday.

Organisers opened the event, expected to attract more than 40,000 people, a day early to ease traffic flow. Compered by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank, Bestival, which is now in its fifth year, attracted more than 30,000 music lovers last year despite poor weather.

Hampshire police have warned anyone found trading in counterfeit wristbands will be arrested and prosecuted.

Lilly Allen, Seasick Steve, Fleet Foxes and Doves are among other artists due to perform.

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South Hampshire in City Of Culture Race

2009-09-10T03:04:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as an area of Hampshire has put itself forward as a candidate to become the first-ever UK City of Culture in 2013. The area known as 'Urban South Hampshire', which includes Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester, is among 29 locations in the runningfor the title. The winning host of national cultural events will be revealed next spring. The shortlist of 29 locations was announced by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw on Thursday.

Phil Redmond was appointed chairman of the judging panel. Mr Redmond was the creative director of Liverpool's year as European City of Culture in 2008.

Highlights of Liverpool's year as European City of Culture included the Turner Prize, MTV Europe Music Awards and La Princesse, a 50ft (15m) high mechanical spider that crawled through the city centre.

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House Prices On The Increase

2009-09-10T02:22:00.001-07:00

More news about the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben - as house prices rose by around 0.8% in August 2009 compared with July2009 - this is the second monthly rise in a row, reports the Halifax. Property values were 10.1% lower in the three months to August compared with the same period a year ago, the survey found. On average, a UK home was now valued at £160,973, said the Halifax, a lack of houses on the market and greater demand for homes has pushed up prices in recent times.

Prices in the three months to August compared with the previous three months were 1.7% higher, the biggest rise in this measure since July 2007.

The latest rise pushed the price of the average UK home to a few pounds higher than it was at the end of 2008, but still £13,268 lower than in August 2008. A lack of new homes coming on to the market was a significant factor in the latest round of rising prices, and so prices could stabilise again if potential sellers surged into the market.

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Restoration Project Under Way

2009-09-09T03:38:00.000-07:00

More local news from in around the New Forest area from Dibben and Dibben - as a major conservation project gets under way to try and restore the natural curves and bends of the Lymington River running through the New Forest. Victorian engineers straightened it about 150 years ago as part of a drainage project. Restoration work, which began in June, will restore the river's natural flood plain in a series of stages. Once the project is completed it is hoped that it should halt erosion in the river banks downstream and also help to prevent any serious flooding.

Hampshire engineers are currently carrying out the £300,000 restoration of the river at Warwickslade, which should be completed by October. They used old maps and aerial photographs as well as specialist local knowledge to uncover the original meanders. Nick Tucker, from the the Forestry Commission, said visitors to the New Forest looked for a sense of history as part of their visit.

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Pensioners Playground

2009-09-09T03:18:00.001-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben - a playground aimed at local pensioners has opened in Hampshire in a bid to try and encourage health and fitness. The £12,000 center ,which is in Kings Worthy, near Winchester, is fitted out with very specialist equipment which is hoped will improve the mobility of older people.

Apparently the local esidents discussed the idea at a coffee morning after hearing about a very similar project that is based in the Manchester area. Councillor Peter Warrener, chairman of Kings Worthy Parish Council, said people were "pleased" it was approved. The funding for the project, which is opposite a children's play area, was secured through the Kings Worthy Open Spaces Fund The first "pensioners' play park" in England opened in Blackley in Manchester, in February of last year.

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More Help Needed

2009-09-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as more volunteers are needed to help keep the air ambulance flying and saving lives. The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance charity is regularly invited to talks and events throughout the county, which help bring in donations. But the charity is in desperate need of more volunteers to meet demand.

Volunteer roles could include talking to groups of people and organisations, manning stalls at events, raising funds in the community and from businesses, and helping with administrative tasks in the head office.

John Perry, chief executive of the charity, said: ‘We have some fantastic volunteers at the moment, but we need more.

‘We are looking all over Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for people interested in volunteering and who have a range of skills, which we will endeavour to support and enhance.

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UK Interests Rates To Stay Low

2009-09-08T06:28:00.001-07:00

More news about the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben - record numbers of home buyers and owners can look forward to enjoyong the low interest rates until at least the end of next year, econimic experts predicted this week. The Bank of England will be forced to keep them at 0.5 per cent throughout 2010 to balance low inflation and counter expected tax rises.

The news that maintaining interest rates at current levels is “almost inevitable” will be a boost to consumers struggling through the recession. However, savers are likely to be dismayed by the forecast, particularly those who rely on the interest from their savings to supplement their income.

It is generally considered that this will be a shot in the arm for public confidence, not least because home owners will take advantage of low rates to overpay their mortgage and pay it off early. If the interest rates remains at such a low figure then it is certainly good news for the property market. First-time buyers and home movers will be encouraged to enter the market knowing their repayments aren’t going to shoot up.

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Southampton Boat Show 2009

2009-09-07T02:49:00.000-07:00

More local events news from Dibben and Dibben as next week sees the start of the 2009 Southampton Boat show. From 11-20 September at Mayflower Park, the PSP Southampton Boat Show in association with ITV Meridian is a fantastic experience for everyone with an interest in water - whether you’ve come to check out all the latest boating fashions, discover a new leisure pursuit or see the very best in state of the art marine design and technology.

This record breaking year will see over 120,000 people enjoy a fantastic day out, whether they are already into boating or just dipping a toe in to see what it’s like.

The attractions at the Show offer so much to see and do. Explore Europe’s largest purpose built Show marina proudly displaying all types of craft from superyachts to RIBs, catamarans to ocean racers. Investigate science ship Callista with its displays of underwater life or take a look around the Jubilee Sailing Trust's tall ship Lord Nelson.

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New Rules For Building Societies

2009-09-07T02:43:00.000-07:00

More property market news from the UK from Dibben and Dibben as Building societies say that the planned new regulations will make it very difficult for them to compete with the major high street banks. The proposals from the Financial Services Authority, the City watchdog, include plans to limit and restrict the riskier types of lending by building societies. These could include high loan-to-value mortgages for borrowers with very small deposits and even the buy-to-let mortgages.

The Building Societies Association (BSA) says that the proposals would disadvantage and damage the industry. The BSA has made a formal submission to the FSA following a consultation period on the proposals. Building societies hold 20% of retail bank deposits and have a share of more than 20% of the mortgage market.

The FSA also wants societies to have senior managers who are sufficiently skilled to oversee any riskier lending. The plan follows in the wake of the collapse of the Dunfermline building society and the forced rescue of several other societies last year.

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Museum Plans Unveiled

2009-09-04T03:26:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as plans and designs for Southamptons propsed Titanic Museum are finally released. Southampton's new museum, is set to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The £28m project in the city from where the liner set sail on her maiden voyage in 1912, will feature a climb-aboard replica of the ship.

Project funding has come from The Heritage Lottery Fund to the tune of £499,000 for the development, this in turn has been matched by the council. It is hoped that phase one of the Sea City Museum will open to public in 2012.

There will also be an exhibitions gallery shared between the museum and City Art Gallery, creating more space to display up to 100 paintings from the council's collection. The Civic Centre will also be converted with the main exhibition hall turned into a scene of the dockside in Southampton with the Titanic about to depart.

However Southampton City Council still needs to find a further £10m of funding and is currently exploring a range of possible opportunities for raising the money.

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NAEA - Summer Housing Market Strong.

2009-09-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

More property news from Dibben and Dibben as the National Association Estate Agents reports that the housing market emerged from summer with estate agents welcoming an increase in the number of properties on the market – and reporting that the traditional summer “dip” was less severe than expected.

For the first time since April 2009, the number of properties available to buy rose, from 59 in July to 64 in August, according to the National Association of Estate Agents.

This suggests that as the market picks up the stock of properties should increase as a result of buyers working their way through the system. As expected during the summer holiday period, estate agents recorded a fall in the number of people looking to buy a property, from 292 in July to 238 in August – the lowest number of any month in 2009.

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Hampshire Duck Aids Research

2009-09-03T03:01:00.000-07:00

More quirky local news from Dibben and Dibben - a Hampshire duck that made the national news when he was born with four legs is now helping scientists in America researching genetic problems in humans. Stumpy the duck lives at Warrawee Duck Farm, Hampshire, and has an extra set of legs behind the two he walks on. The owner of the New Forest Duck farm, arranged for a small tissue sample to be taken and sent to the scientists at the University of Chicago.

When Stumpy was first born the farmreceived an email from the University of Chicago to say they were interested in tissue samples and if he was to die they would be keen to pay for his delivery to the States for use in their genetic research.

About a month ago the birds at Warrawee Duck Farm were tested for avian flu and they took a sample from Stumpy, the owners also sent a sample to the researchers -"they were very excited and said our timing was excellent. It would be incredible if Stumpy in his lifetime could actually do something for genetic research for the human race."

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Plans For New Forest Controls Overturned

2009-09-03T02:52:00.001-07:00

More news from in and around Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben - The New Forest National Park Authority (NFNPA) has performed a total reversal on the very controversial proposals that had published in a initial draft management plan for the New Forest area. Chief executive Barrie Foley has been reported as saying that the plans to ban dogs from some car parks and to put in place much stricter planning regulations on horse keepers have been dropped.

The planned introduction of road tolls and dividing the park into three zones had also been scrapped. Local residents had protested strongly , saying it would restrict both how they lived and worked. The first draft of the plans were published last year and proposals included banning horse owners from putting up shelters for their animals and banning dogs from certain areas in a bid to protect wildlife.

Up to 200 people reportedly attended the meeting in Dibden where the Park Authority explain to residents about the changes to the plan. The revised plans are scheduled to be published and put out to consultation next month.

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Hampshire Dog To Become Film Star

2009-09-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the true-life story of how a Hampshire dog has helped an injured Gulf War veteran to rebuild his life is to be made into a movie. The dog called Endal has helped ex-Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer Allen Parton to recover after he was left unable to walk, speak or remember key events in his life after he was in a injured in car accident while serving in the Gulf War in 1991.

The 13-year-old dog, who died in March, responded to more than 200 instructions including loading and emptying the washing machine and drawing money out of a cash point. Mr Parton, from Clanfield, spent five years in hospital and rehabilitation and he tried to commit suicide twice following his accident, but with support from the Royal British Legion and assistance dog Endal, he got his life back on track.

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New Mortage Deal To Kick Start Sales

2009-09-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

More property market news from Dibben and Dibben as the HSBC bank is trying to gain an even larger share of the mortgage market by launching a new deal at just 1.99% for borrowers with a 40% deposit. The low rate lasts for two years and is set at a 1.95% discount to the bank's standard variable rate of 3.94%.

Its deal is a sign of the continued easing of the mortgage market which currently has 1,676 deals available, more than at any time this year.

The deposit required to buy a home has increased sharply over the past year as lenders have rationed their funds. The financial information service Moneyfacts says 27% of new mortgage deals require a deposit of 40%. A year ago that figure was just 7%.

"There has been a slight increase in the 10% deposit tier, which is encouraging news for first-time buyers who seem to be propping up the mortgage market at the moment," said Darren Cook of Moneyfacts.

Both property sales and prices have picked up this year, after the credit crunch and the recession caused an unprecedentedly sharp slump from the autumn of 2007 to the end of 2008.

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Romsey Food Show

2009-09-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

More local events from Dibben and Dibben. Visitors to this year’s Romsey Show on Saturday 12th September will benefit from ‘two shows for the price of one’, with The Food Show @ The Romsey Show showcasing some of the great foods available in Hampshire and across the South.

This is The Food Show’s 3rd year at The Romsey Show,and has grown each year and was hugely popular last year despite the very wet weather. Following on from the success of July’s Hampshire Food Festival which celebrates local food and farming, this one day Food Show continues the theme.

It is a great opportunity to try food and drink from many producers in Hampshire and from further afield. There’ll be loads to eat on the day or to take home, cookery demonstrations and activities running all day and lots of producers to meet”.

Food and drink exhibitors include restaurants and hotels, Hampshire Fare producers, farmers, bakers, butchers, cheese makers, ice cream makers and brewers, to name but a few.

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Mary Rose - New Conservation Work

2009-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben. Henry VIII's warship, the Mary Rose, is set to be removed from public display for three years as a new schedule of conservation work gets under way. The ship's hall at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will close from 20 September to allow work on a new museum. The Heritage Lottery Fund agreed to award £21m to the Mary Rose Trust, which has also raised nearly £10m itself towards total costs of £35m.

The trust aims to complete the work by 2012, in time for the Olympics. The ship will continue to be sprayed with preserving polyethylene glycol, a water-based wax solution, before being carefully dried for full display in 2016. The new building will be a boat-shaped museum clad in timber planks, reflecting the structure of the original ship and Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, which is docked alongside.

John Lippiett, chief executive of the Mary Rose Trust was reported as saying: "We have devised an imaginative programme of events and interpretations during the closure to give visitors a different, but equally fulfilling, visitor experience."

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Welcome Home For Young Sailor

2009-08-31T01:45:00.000-07:00

More local news from Dibben and Dibben as the teenage sailor Mike Perham gets a hero's welcome as he returned back to the UK after becoming the youngest person to circumnavigate the world. The 17-year-old arrived to cheers from the huge crowd who gathered at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, where he set sail from in November 2008.

During the around the world trip he fought gales and 50ft waves in a voyage which took him via Portugal, the Canaries, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Mike had to travel via the Panama Canal after missing the weather window to sail around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America.

He was 16 when he set off from Portsmouth and celebrated his 17th birthday in the South Indian Ocean on March 16. A representative from Guinness World Records presented him with a certificate confirming his record. To satisfy the requirements of the world record, the solo circumnavigation has to cross the equator and every line of longitude.

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Hampshire Showcase For Budding Artists

2009-08-31T01:40:00.001-07:00

More local news from Dibbben and Dibben as local libraries across the Hampshire region are to showcase work by local artists as part of a month-long festival sponsored by the council. Now more than 50 local artists who have never held a solo exhibition of their work will get to show off their art at libraries across Hampshire throughout the month of September as part of the New Art festival.

The focus of this year’s festival is textiles and libraries will be adorned with inspirational designs using weaving, hand and machine stitching, beading, heat distressing, photographic screen printing, hand dying and felting.

Margaret Snaith, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for culture, communities and recreation, was quoted as saying: “This is a great opportunity for local people to get their work known amongst the local community."

She went on; “I would like to thank all those who submitted their work to our panels.”

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John Lennon Art Display

2009-08-29T03:57:00.000-07:00

More local news from Dibben and Dibben. Agreed around the globe as one of the greatest songwriter of the 20th century and of course a member of most famous 60's pop group of all time, John Lennon was also known as an artist. Now a Hampshire village art gallery has struck a major coup by landing an exhibition of his artwork. Courcoux & Courcoux in Stockbridge High Street is staging the exhibition from September 5-23. Art by the former member of the Beatles, who was shot dead in New York in 1980, is rarely shown in this country, especially outside of the capital.

One of the originals on display may be offered for sale with a potential asking price of over £10,000. The gallery staged a show of John Lennons work way back in 2004 which attracted hundreds of people. Ian Courcoux from the gallery explained how the artwork was obtained: “I’m not blowing my own trumpet but I think we are regarded as one of the top regional art galleries. It will bring something fresh and a bit different to Hampshire. The last time we had a Lennon show here we were mobbed, which was great. The people coming were right across the spectrum."

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Rise In House Prices Hits High

2009-08-29T03:31:00.001-07:00

More news about the economy and UK property market from Dibben and Dibben. As widely reported in the UK national press this week, house prices in England and Wales rose by 1.7% in July compared with June - the biggest monthly leap in house price value since July 2004. A report from the Land Registry shows that every region across the UK recorded a monthly rise in prices, with the average home valued at £155,885.

The Land Registry, which records all completed property sales in England and Wales, is widely regarded as producing one of the most authoritative house price reports, although it does lag behind data from lenders. It compares the price of properties sold now with the price paid when they were sold previously. However, repossessions and property transfers following a divorce are excluded from the sample.

The recovery in the housing market has been revealed in a series of surveys in recent months, including the Nationwide building society's index which is based on mortgage data, which this week revealed prices had risen by 1.6% in August compared with July.

On a national and regional level, the biggest month-on-month rise in property values came in Wales, where prices rose by 3.1% in July compared with June. At the other end of the scale, prices rose by 0.9% during the same period in Yorkshire and the Humber. The Land Registry analysis is one of the very few reports that maps out house prices changes at a local level.

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Escala At The Southampton Boat Show

2009-08-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

More local news from Dibben and Dibben. Escala are the four girls who have breathed life back into classical music. Escala orignally hit the headlines after making it to the final of stages of the hit ITV show Britain’s Got Talent last year – and now they are scheduled to make an appearance at the PSP Southampton Boat Show. The girls will be performing a number of classical hits – including their top 40 single Palladio – at the launch of one of the most luxurious boats at the show - the Sunseeker Predator 130 motoryacht.

Sunseeker chief executive officer Robert Braithwaitewas reported as saying: “We are eagerly awaiting the launch of the outstanding Predator 130 and with Escala joining us at the show the launch is sure to turn heads for several reasons.” Escala are due to perform at the PSP Southampton Boat Show on Friday, September 11 at 11.30am.

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Free Bank Holiday Transport

2009-08-26T22:46:00.000-07:00

More local news from Dibben and Dibben. As reported yesterday in the local Hampshire press all bus journeys within Southampton will be totally free this bank holiday weekend. As the city of Southampton gets ready for one of its busiest weekends for many years the city council has invested almost £40,000 so that all bus journeys are completely free. The journeys will be free for anyone as long as they start and finish within the city’s boundaries.

More than 12,000 extra vehicles are expected to cause the heaviest congestion seen in the city since the opening of Ikea earlier this year.With nine cruise ships – and almost 50,000 ship passengers – passing through Southampton city within just 48 hours, council bosses want residents off the roads and to leave their cars at home. The council has teamed up with Bluestar, First and Unilink and Black Velvet Travel to provide free bus travel until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

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Junior Sailing Club Marks 25 Years

2009-08-26T03:12:00.000-07:00

More local news from Dibben and Dibben. This year sees the Royal Lymington Yacht Club’s Wednesday junior sailing programme marknig its 25th year. It has been teaching children the basics of sailing and over the years has helped thousands of youngsters learn how to sail – and even has even given rise to some of the UK's Olympic best performers. To help mark the celebrations in style, the club had a visit from its royal patron Her Royal Highness Princess Anne who saw the club in action at first hand.

Club secretary Kevin Podger was reported as saying; “Wednesday sailing was started in September 1984 by Jonathan Rogers and Tom McEwen, who got together because their kids were at that age of learning to sail and they thought there should be some weekly session to teach them. Around half a dozen kids started out but the numbers quickly grew – it just went from there.”

Wednesday Junior Sailing now has around 200 children on its books and up to 100 often turn up to one of the two-hour sittings.

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Hampshire Steam Car Team Break Record

2009-08-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

More local news from Dibben and Dibben. A team of Hampshire engineers has finally broken the longest-standing world land speed record in California. The steam car, called Inspiration, recorded an average speed of 139.843mph (225.06km/h) at Edwards air base, in the Mojave Desert, smashing the long standing 1906 record. For the Federation International Automobile record, the Hampshire-based team had to finish two runs in opposite directions, less than an hour apart.

The team only had until Wednesday to attempt the record before they were due to return home. Its first attempt was dashed when the car's turbine became stuck on Wednesday, 19 August.

Speaking from California, Mr Burnett the teams main financer was quoted as saying; "I wouldn't like to leave it this close again, it was the last but one day we had to do this. It was absolutely fantastic I enjoyed every moment of it. The car really did handle beautifully. It is a privilege to be involved with such a talented crew, what we have achieved today is a true testament to British engineering, good teamwork and perseverance."

The car will be brought back to England and will end up at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire.

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Festibelly 2009

2009-08-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

More local events from Dibben and Dibben. The forthcoming August Bank Holiday weekend sees the return of Festibelly and after the sell out success of 2008, Festibelly have developed their boutique festival for another wonderful weekend this summer. Set in the peaceful surroundings of the New Forest, Festibelly provides a chilled day, party night time, camping and - what so many festivals lack - intimacy, with a capacity of only 1000 people.

2009 features musical performances from some of the most exciting talent to emerge from the indie, rock, pop, acoustic, and reggae scenes. After his astonishing 2008 performance, Festibelly welcome back 'folktronica' wizard James Yuill as headliner. Signed to Moshi Moshi Records, James has released a plethora of hits, such as 'No Surprise' and 'This Sweet Love' gaining huge support from BBC Radio 1 and was even an iTunes track of the week.

The strong line up continues with Rough Trade signings Micachu & The Shapes, grime pop upstarts Man Like Me, critically acclaimed ensemble Laurel Collective and future-romantic pop group ColouringIN. They are joined by London's favourite reggae party, Reggae Roast who will be 'dubbing' it alongside live performances by Brother Culture and the heavyweight 9-piece brass band, Brass Roots.

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Mortgage Rate Approval Increases Again

2009-08-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

More economic news from Dibben and Dibben. As widely reported today in the UK national press the number of mortgages approved for house purchases by the major High Street banks has risen for the seventh month in a row. The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has reported that mortgage approvals in July stood at 38,181, a rise of 7.4% compared with June. The report suggests that the rise in proprty market activity and house prices could stretch into the autumn.

The BBA said slower housing market activity meant it was taking longer for mortgage approvals for house purchase to work through into the gross and net lending figures. It added that the number of people remortgaging continued to be subdued, with only 30,600 loans arranged by people switching to a better deal during the month. But the group said the figure appeared to have stabilised and was slightly up on both the previous month and the recent six month average.

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Centenary Of Flying

2009-08-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

More local event news from Dibben and Dibben. 2010 is a very special year for Southampton Airport, as it marks 100 years since the first ever flight at the airport. Back in 1910, a local man, Edwin Rowland Moon, triumphantly flew his homemade Moonbeam II aircraft from the fields of North Stoneham Farm (which is now Southampton Airport), at a time when aircraft were in their infancy. This demonstration of innovation and ingenuity inspired many more local people to design and build aircraft around the south Hampshire region, including the world famous WWII Spitfire aircraft, and Skeeter helicopters to name but a few.

Today, thousands of local people are employed in aviation and aerospace industries in a range of businesses functions from supplying materials and providing services, to specialised aeronautical engineering (i.e. space satellites).

To mark the centenary year in 2010, a series of events are being planned throughout Hampshire by various organisations, to celebrate Hampshire’s rich and proud historical links to aviation and aerospace industries. The activities aim to celebrate the innovation that continues to grow today, and further encourage inward investment to the region.

More details about these great events for next year to follow :

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House Builder 'fairly optimistic' about the future

2009-08-23T23:36:00.000-07:00

More property and economic news from Dibben and Dibben - as reported over the weekend in the UK press 1 of the UK's largest firm of house builders has resumed work on nearly all of the projects it put on hold in Wales last year at the height of the recession. House Builders Redrow has suffered heavy losses like many other of its major competitors, which has seen cuts in almost half of the workforce across the whole of the UK. At its peak, the Flintshire firm was building more than 800 homes a year, but that was cut dramatically.

The company has reported that the market changed in the spring time and that work had increased ever since. In south Wales, work has started on building between 30 and 350 homes across 10 sites, where over 400 sub-contractors are being employed. Over the next year Redrow predicts that more than 370 homes will be built from scratch or finished off at the sites it stopped work on last year.

The company said the new levels of activity showed an increased confidence in the market and greater affordability.

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Isle of Wight Scooter Rally

2009-08-23T04:05:00.000-07:00

More great local events from Dibben and Dibben. If you fancy something a little bit different to your usual seaside attractions why not plan your holiday to coincide with the annual Isle of Wight Scooter Rally? The thought of thousands of colourful vintage scooters and their even more colourful owners may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but it really is a site to behold, especially the mass ride out which takes place on the Sunday of the August Bank Holiday weekend. Around 5000 scooters take part in the organised ride out, so be sure to have your cameras ready for the awesome spectacle, the scooters leave Ryde at 1pm.

The friendly scooterists have been coming to the Isle of Wight every August bank holiday for over ten years and the rally seems to get bigger each year. Over the weekend the Ryde Ice Stadium hosts most of the main evening entertainment, where bands and DJ’s play until 4am (admission prices are around £7). There’s also a massive custom show at the Ice Stadium on Saturday, where the countries hottest scooters compete for a prestigious trophy. Top custom scooters can cost in excess of £15,000 to build, so the show is well worth a visit (admission is around £3, kids are free and it runs from 10am till 4pm). Ryde is the focal point for the scooter rally and most of the pubs are full to bursting point over the weekend.

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